From classrooms at the University of Minnesota, to the city’s accelerator programs for budding entrepreneurs, there is evidence in all corners of Minnesota that show it’s not just tech veterans pushing the city’s innovative spirit forward.
To highlight some of the state’s young startup and tech leaders, Minne Inno has compiled a list of 10 promising and notable young entrepreneurs and technologists in the city’s tech and startup scene.
Those on the list were chosen based on nominations received from the community and Minne Inno’s editorial selection process. Here they are, in no particular order:
Jackson LeFebvre | 21 | ParkPoolr
University of Minnesota senior Jackson LeFebvre is the creator of ParkPoolr, an app that connects drivers with available parking space in the city. Using ParkPoolr, homeowners can list their property's driveway or other available areas for parking. LeFebvre's company is a finalist in the student division of the 2019 Minnesota Cup.
Sam Fleming | 22 | Xenbu
Recent Macalester graduate Sam Fleming is helping artists gain recognition through an unexpected medium: smartphone wallpaper. Fleming's app, Xenbu, is a platform for artists and photographers to share their work as smartphone wallpaper. Xenbu allows creators to gain a wider customer base and get noticed by institutions, while engaging and broadening the audience base for visual art.
Daniel Fleury | 18 | Amicii
Daniel Fleury, a senior at John Marshall High School in Rochester, received international recognition earlier this year for his creation of an app, Amicii, that can diagnose pneumonia and 13 other lung conditions in less than five seconds. The project won first place in its category at the International Science and Engineering Fair in May.
Ashley Trube | 19 | SpeakThrough
Ashley Trube is the founder of SpeakThrough, a nonprofit designed by and for students from low-income backgrounds. The program provides mentorship from current college students or graduate students to high school juniors and seniors, while also offering storytelling platforms and civic engagement groups. By increasing access and awareness of opportunities for low-income communities that historically have been excluded from the educational system, SpeakThrough hopes to inspire the next generation of innovators who will use their voice and perspective to influence decisions.
Kate Evinger | 22 | gener8tor
Kate Evinger is the program manager for gener8tor Minnesota and gener8tor's OnRamp Insurance accelerator. Evinger joined gener8tor in 2016 as an associate for gBETA Madison and was later promoted to program manager after graduating from Indiana University earlier this year. Since joining gener8tor, Evinger has worked with 25 startups over five programs in both gBETA and gener8tor.
Jake Smith | 23 | gener8tor
As the founding director of gener8tor's gBETA St. Thomas accelerator, Jake Smith has supported the growth of six St. Thomas-affiliated companies over the past few months. Smith has been helping evangelize the startup ecosystem on campus, meeting with dozens of students, encouraging them to pursue entrepreneurship and supporting them while they do so. Earlier this month, the gBETA St. Thomas accelerator drew a crowd of around 200 people to watch the program's final Pitch Night, which was attended by Best Buy Founder Richard Schulze, who also started St. Thomas' Schulze School for Entrepreneurship.
Mimi Aboubaker | 24 | Willio
Mimi Aboubaker was in the inaugural class of the Finnovation Fellowship Program, funded by Finnegans and The Bush Foundation. She's working on a technology platform, Willo, that uses data and payments to help universities and scholarship organizations better allocate financial aid to students. Her long-term goal is to drive more inclusive campuses by increasing representation of socioeconomically disadvantaged students. Willo's beta partners include universities across the country including local colleges such as The College of Saint Benedict (CSB) and St. Olaf College. Prior to the venture, Aboubaker interned in investment banking at Goldman Sachs, merchant banking at Morgan Stanley, and corporate development at Prada.
Enzo Vinholi | 20 | Like It Was Yesterday
Enzo Vinholi started his company, Like It Was Yesterday, as a senior in high school. Now a junior at St. Thomas, Vinholi spends most nights continuing to build his company, which designs virtual reality programs for senior citizens living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. The company offers more than 1,000 hours of virtual reality programming for users seeking to recreate a variety of memories and life experiences. Users can revisit favorite vacation spots, cities where they used to live, even the place where they had their first kiss decades earlier.
Liam Magistad and Zach Jordan | 21 | Easy EMDR
Macalester College seniors Liam Magistad and Zach Jordan are the creators of Easy EMDR – an accessible, clinical-grade tool that empowers therapists and their clients to address debilitating trauma disorders. The app aims to accelerate not only the development of high-quality mental health tools but also to change a culture that makes it difficult for people to share their mental health problems without judgment.
